To Kill A Medici
by TimeLordOfGallifrey
Summary: No one threatens the life of a Medici. No one threatens the life of the genius. The thing is, someone has. Overheard snippets are all it takes to get Da Vinci caught up in conspiracies.
1. Chapter 1

"Honestly Leo," Lorenzo De Medici chuckled as the unlikely pair strode through the town, "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were mad!"

The painter shrugged with a boyish grin, "I told you it'd work."

"That you …." Lorenzo trailed off, "That man was talking to father yesterday, I wonder who he is." he pondered, "Let's say hi."

"Kill the Medici" said a hushed voice and Leo instantly grabbed Lorenzo by the collar.

"What the devil do you think you're —"

"Shhh!" Leo hissed as he moved into a position where he could eavesdrop without being noticed, "Quiet." he said to a pouting Lorenzo.

"But Massimo!" The grey haired man protested, "I know you mean well, but leave me be, this is not the answer and you know it!"

"The Medici threatens my brother's life and I'm supposed to simply take it on the chin? How could I possibly?"

"I will build the boy's invention, I assure you it will be alright. You needn't involve yourself."

"Brother!" Massimo seemed outraged, "You tell me he will kill you if you can't build this boy's device but then proceed to tell me that I mustn't kill him for his acts of cruelty. He walks all over the people and no one stands up for what is just! I will kill Piero De Medici. Don't try to stop me brother."

"Massimo…"

"No! No Tonio, I will not sit by whilst he crushes us all beneath his feet. I will take care of him just like how I took care of Ludovici in Venice."

"You disemboweled him!"

"And I will do the same to his excellency, Medici."

The clock struck the hour and a tolling bell rung out through Florence, causing birds to scatter and those who were late to break into a sprint.

"I must go." Antonio frowned deeply, "Don't do anything rash."

"I can assure you brother, there is a reason I am not rotting away behind bars, I'll be careful."

Leonardo dragged the gaping Lorenzo behind a stall as Antonio hurries away as fast as his frail legs could muster. Lorenzo's mouth hung open like a gasping fish, "Did he really just…?" the young Medici asked as soon as his thoughts were translated into sound.

"Go warn your father!" Leo hissed, as much as he disliked the man, he had a duty to his friend.

"And what are you going to do?" Lorenzo asked as he began to walk backwards towards the Palazzo.

"Follow him, go!" Leo waved his friend off and turned to pick up the sandy haired man's trail. Grey robes swished through the crowds as the man walked, head standing tall upon his shoulders, unknowingly followed by the young genius in a dusty green shirt.

Soon his pace quickened and his strides lengthened, the sandy haired man wove his way through densely packed streets and sparse alleyways until he left Leonardo's sightline.

Leo stood in the middle of the crossroads, not a soul was in sight, with a bitter sigh he tore his beanie from his head in annoyance as he scanned the streets. He could only hope that Lorenzo would be able to warn his father of the danger.

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><p>"Father!" Lorenzo exclaimed, barreling into his father's study without so much as a knock.<p>

"What is it now Lorenzo?" His father asked boredly with raised eyebrows.

"Plot father." Lorenzo gasped, trying to catch his breath, he hadn't torn through the streets faster than he ever had before, "A man, in the market. He said he was going to kill you."

"Who was he, Lorenzo?" Piero stiffened as his son sank down into the seat.

"I'm sorry father, I don't know who he is." Lorenzo said shaking his head, "But he was with that man you spoke to yesterday."

"Antonio De Bertolin? The engineer?"

"He's the man's brother."

"Bertolini didn't tell us he had family." Piero said in deep thought, After a moment of awkward silence he yelled, "Guards!"

"Sir." The puppets came walking in in perfect sync and spoke in perfect unison.

"Double the guard, fetch my wife and arrest Bertolini."

"Si, your excellency." the duo said and quickly set about their business, fading murmurs could be heard outside as the message was passed along.

"Now tell me Lorenzo, what did he look like." The Gran Maestro of Florence said to his son, "What else can you remember?"

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><p>There was no rustling of clothing, no crunching of footsteps, nothing to announce his presence until he spoke with the blade of a knife pressed against the young Da Vinci's throat. A bitter voice slithered into the genius' ear.<p>

"You thought you could follow me did you?"

"Well, actually -" Leo began before he was cut off by hands in his hair, yanking his head back, "No." he said quickly as his discreetly felt for something that'd help the situation inside his many pockets.

"You know the young master." he hissed.

"I was just commissioned to do his portrait, I swear!" Leo said trying to sound as

truthful as possible, "I was escorting him back from the workshop."

"If that's true then why weren't his bodyguards doing that, what could a measly painter such as yourself do to protect a Medici? Huh? No. It's obvious you're friends."

"I'm telling the truth." Leo lied.

"Don't take me for a fool." the blade pressed in further as the man removed his hand from the inventor's hair and pressed the barrel of a gun into his tense and leather-clad back, "Now, do exactly as I say."

"I'm listening." Leo spat bitterly.

"Walk. You, my friend, are going to take me to the Palazzo De Medici. You're my ticket inside." Massimo grinned, displaying a yellowed row of teeth.

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><p><strong>I don't own these characters except for the Bertolini brothers. Please drop me a review, if you loved it, if you hated it. I'd just really really appreciate feedback.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh!" her excellency came gliding in, in all her pompous splendour as she waved her floral fan melodramatically. Three peacock feathers perched in her precarious hair, trembling with each step she took, "Oh my darlings. Whatever is the matter?"

"There was a threat on his excellency's life." Said Piero's right hand man.

"Lorenzo. Guard your mother. No buts." Piero added before his son had even opened his mouth.

"But you don't think he'll get in, do you father?"

"I can't say, Lorenzo." Piero said solemnly, "Stay with your mother. That's final."

"Be safe dear!" she called after her husband as he vanished through the door with the swish of a dark velvet cloak.

"Don't you worry." Piero muttered to himself as he left his family, "Nothing can best me. Not Da Vinci, not an assassin."

"Mac!" Tom cried out, leaping up from his stool, "Have you seen Leo?" she asked abandoning her sketch.

"What? That's what I was going to ask you!" Machiavelli exclaimed, frown deepening.

"Oi, you!" Verrochio called, the old painter had a back for appearing precisely when he con man did, "Buzz off."

"Buzzing." Mac put his hands up in mock surrounded and turned, walking out of the door.

"I…" Tom started talking before she'd even figured out what she wanted to say, "I need.. need Linseed oil!" she pulled on her old leather coat.

"Be quick." Verrochio grumbled and tossed a few Florin her way, "And if you see Leonardo. Tell him to hurry up."

"Si maestro." Tom nodded and caught the money before dashing out the door.

As soon as she'd burst into the light of the outside world Mac began to speak, "Lisa! Where's Leo gone?!"

"I don't know." she hissed, marching the both of them out into the street, "He was with Lorenzo but I haven't seen either of them since this morning."

"That was over five hours ago!" Mac frowned as he gazed up to the sun.

Tom scowled spinning around in worry, "Oh… why does he always disappear?"

"He wouldn't be gone this long without saying anything."

"Neither would Lorenzo."

They shared a sigh as Tom pulled of her wig and ran her hands thorough her tangled hair, "We have to fins them." she declared and turned on her heel.

"Wait!" Mac grabbed the tail of her coat.

"Wait? Wait for what?" She asked angrily.

Mac let out a high pitched whistle and a few scraggly members of his army of urchins came hurrying out of the shadows, "Leonardo Da Vinci. Find him."

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><p>Leo woke lying on the cold hard floor with a dull aching in the back of his mind, "What…?" he asked as memories came flooding back to him. Bertolini. A gun. The same gun being cracked over the back of his head as soon as he's stepped into the hellhole the man called home. Leo's vision slowly cleared bringing the grimy walls and dust covered floor into focus. The man was sitting on the unmade bed simply staring at him.<p>

"You talk in your sleep." Bertolini scowled.

"Sorry to be an inconvenience." Leo replied sarcastically and tried to push himself upright, failing miserably when he discovered his hands were bound behind his back, "But I wasn't the one who decided to knock me unconscious. Was I."

"Shut up." Massimo replied snidely and pulled Leo to his feet and shoving him against the wall, "Now you do exactly as I say. Or I'll take it out on your whole workshop."

"Fine." Leo hissed feeling the pain of his arms being crushed against the cold stone wall, "But first." he smirked and brought his knee up hard. Right into Bertolini's groin.

Massimo let out a strangled cry of pain as Leo shoved past him towards the locked door but before the young inventor found even try his tied up hands at the lock he was knocked to the ground with the very same knife pressed against his throat, its metal blade glinted in the waning sunlight that danced through the open window.

"It's nearly curfew." Massimo hissed as he crouched over the groaning inventor, pouring the reeking stench of eggs and beer into Leo's face, "We'd best get going don't you think?" he snarled as he climbed to his feet and pulled Leo roughly to his. "Now we're going to walk through the Piazza like the best of friends, you hear me?"

"Friends wouldn't keep each other tied up." Leo said with a smirk that read, "You're such an idiot let me out"

"Do as I say kid. And no one gets hurt." he scowled, baring his rotten teeth as he unlocked the door, "After you." he said, clenching the knife in his ugly fist.

Leonardo frowned but did so anyway, he couldn't risk getting Verrochio into another mess. He couldn't risk Tom getting caught up in this.

"Move, boy. And act natural." he hissed forcing the rotten stench into Leo's gut making him want to retch.

"I'm moving…" Leo grumbled, "I'm moving."

A grubby boy watched from the shadows as the inventor was pushed along by the frog-faced man. The little blade caught the light of the sinking sun and the boy ran. He ran as fast as his little legs could take him, all the way back to Machiavelli. His dusty blond hair fell into his eyes as he ran with a childish grin on his face, he was finally going to get a reward for this! The boy rounded a corner and was sent careering into his brother in arms.

"Found him!" he grinned triumphantly, "Where's Mac?"

"This way!" The chestnut haired boy said and the two picked themselves up off the ground, with grins on their grubby faces as they ran towards their Maestro.

"Senhor!" The two yelled as they ran towards Mac.

"Did you find him?" Tom asked tucking a straggling lock of hair back under her wig.

The ashen haired urchin frowned at her and spoke only to Mac, "He's with a man. The man has a knife."

"Where are they going?" Mac asked before Tom had the chance to open her mouth.

"Towards the Palazzo." The sandy-haired one said and both held out their hands.

"Off with you." Mac dropped a coin into each their hands and brushed them off, "Tell the others the search is over."

"Let's go!" Tom was fidgeting, desperate to get going.

Mac glanced at her and nodded. The pair tore down the dusty streets in the fading lights towards the palace gates where stood a man with a knife to Leo's throat.

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><p><strong>Thank you awesome readers. And thank you all for your reviews and *wink wink nudge nudge* I am taking your suggestion into consideration, it just won't be the centre of the story.<strong>

**Anyhow, hope you enjoyed chapter 2 and chapter 3 will be on it's own merry way shortly.**


	3. Chapter 3

"You let me in." Bertolini snarled, baring his teeth at the palace guards who glanced at each other in worry. Were they to let an innocent boy die in front of them or endanger their master. What they had to do was obvious, but what was right wasn't. "Or I cut this the young master's friend open right in front of you." he growled as he fisted Leo's hair and yanked his head backwards displaying his tender neck. Leonardo slipped his hand into his back pocket, managing to wrap his fingers around a small flat headed screwdriver. Trying his best to go unnoticed as his captor spoke to the guards, he turned the screwdriver around so that the tip was angled towards the harsh rope that bound his wrists together. He drove the tip through the rope, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible as the screwdriver slowly sawed through the rope.

The taller guard spoke up first, tufts of hair poking out from beneath his helmet he barely looked twenty, "Allow me to talk to the master before we open the gates."

He frowned, doubt flaring on his frog-like face before he nodded, "You, go." he said to the fresh-faced guard, "You." he said to he older, "Stay here."

Marco slipped between the doors and ran up the path, cloak flying out behind him in his slipstream as he moved through the seemingly still air. He hurriedly made his way towards the Gran Maestro's study and rapped his knuckles on the door.

"Who is it?" came Piero's dry voice.

"Marco, You Excellency, I was posted at the gates this evening and I have an urgent message."

"Entre."

The young guard hastily pulled open the door and entered the room. Piero sat at his desk with a mildly bored expression on his face. His right hand man stood to his side, wide frame covered by his black leather cloak.

"What is this message you speak of?" Piero asked the young guard, he'd only hired him a few months ago, he hoped he didn't have to fire the lad after finding out what he had to say.

"There's a man at the gate, he… he's got a boy, claims he's friends with the young master. He says if we don't let him in he'll kill him."

Piero's ears perked up, "What does he look like?"

Marco gave him a confused look, he couldn't understand what that had to do with anything, "Well, senhor, he's uh, he's older than me. Perhaps fifty or so. Uhm, grey hair. Messy. Messy grey hair. Looks a bit like a squashed frog. Flat nose. Shorter than me."

Piero nodded, the same man Lorenzo had described by the sounds of things., "And the boy?"

"A bit taller than the young master. Brown hair, really sticky uppy. Really dark brown eyes I think." Marco said as Piero held his hand up to silence him.

"Thank you Marco. This has been most helpful. Bring the two of them in."

Marco bowed his head, "Yes, you excellency." he said and rushed out of the room.

Piero watched as the door closed behind him, "Da Vinci."

"But, sire, didn't you want the boy dead?" asked his right hand man.

"He's more use alive." Piero said simply.

Marco slipped back through the gates and Massimo tugged on Leo's hair and forced the knife to draw a small line of blood, drawing a sharp hiss from the lips of the inventor. "His excellency Piero De Medici will allow you to enter."

Bertolini grinned and released his grip on Leonardo, shoving him forwards through the open gates. The force was enough to make him drop the screwdriver to the ground where it landed with the tinkling sound of metal on stone. The rope tore in two as he flung his arms out in front of himself to stop himself from falling onto the dusty ground. The inventor scrambled to his feet, rope lying on the floor in frayed pieces, and made a break for it towards the gates and the city beyond. The guards moved out of his way as he barrelled into Massimo, charging the man into a wall to get him out of the way of the gate. Massimo's thick fist grabbed at him, clenching onto his collar before Leo had the chance to make it into the maze of streets. Leo spun around, trying to free his green shirt collar from the man's grasp.

"I don't think so boy." Massimo hissed as he drove the hilt of the knife into Leo's skull. Black spots danced across the boy's vision as he fought desperately to stay awake. Bertolini's hand released his collar and Da Vinci dropped bonelessly to the ground. His last thought before the darkness enveloped him was that surely two head injuries in one day was not a good sign.

"Leo!" Tom screamed as she and Mac rounded the final corner. Too late to do anything to help. Mac dragged her back into the shadows, covering her mouth with his hand.

"If he can do that to Leo without the guard doing anything then what'll happen if we go in recklessly?" Mac hissed into Lisa's ear.

Massimo's head jerked up towards the girl's voice but saw no one as he heaved the painter up onto his broad shoulders in a fireman's lift and strode through the gates beyond sight, nervously followed by the older guard who closed the gates behind him.

Tom ran out of Mac's grip as soon as the gates closed, "What are you doing?!" she yelled at the guard, that's my friend!"

"What do you think you're doing?" Mac yelled once he'd caught up, "What are they doing with Leo?"

"Calm down!" Marco hissed, "He said he'd kill your friend if we didn't let him in."

"That doesn't mean you let him knock Leo out!" Mac countered.

"I couldn't do anything about it." Marco said guiltily, "His excellency said to let them in. There wasn't anything else I could do!"

"What does he want with Leo?" Tom said, trying to keep her voice from wavering and cracking.

"I don't know." Marco said honestly, blond brows furrowed in concern, "And before you ask I don't know what Piero's going to do with either of them. But I can't do anything about it. I'll lose my job! My father would kill me. _I can't do anything."_

Realisation dawned on Mac's face, "We won't tell a soul. We came in another way."

"What…?" Tom asked, "Oh." she said as Marco opened to gates and ushered the through.

"I'm trusting you." Marco said eyeing the pair closely, "Don't get me in trouble."

"You can trust us." Mac grinned, "I wouldn't sell out a friend." he said as he and Tom dashed up the path towards the palace. What they'd do when they got there was beyond them, but they knew that had to do something. If Leo's life was in that madman's hands, if Leo's life was in Piero's hands… they knew the only people they could trust were each other. Mac nodded to Tom as he picked the lock on a patio door and slid in silently with Tom in tow. They had to get to Leo.

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><p><strong>Here we go then, chapter 3! Disclaimer is still in chapter 1<strong>

**Enjoy! chapter 4 will be on its way soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it's so short! I've been really busy with my exams lately but now they're over! Back to writing for me! (And dreading the return of my papers, waiting for your results is awful)**

**I know this chapter's really short but I wanted to give you guys something as I know I've not been about for a while!**

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><p>He landed on the floor with a painful thunk, head swimming. Bitter voices penetrated his brain as he felt himself being rolled onto his back, the barrel of the gun pointed at his forehead.<p>

"Come on Medici!" Massimo yelled, arms outstretched as if taking in the situation.

"I'd rather you didn't spill anyone's blood over my carpets. They are a nightmare to clean." Piero said from behind him.

Massimo spun around, "No regard for the boy's life then? None for my brother's life either?"

"When you put it that way…" Piero rolled his eyes and took a step forwards, stopping as soon as the gun was trained on him, "Not really."

"They all think you're a saint, I know the truth."

"What truth?"

"You're the devil in a man's suit."

"Now no, I highly doubt that."

"Why would what you think make any difference anymore? You were going to kill my brother!" Bertolini yelled, spraying spit.

"Your brother failed me in my needs, I could hardly have him telling the world my diabolical plans now could I?" the sarcasm seemed to way straight over Massimo's head.

"I knew you were up to something, I told him but no… No he wouldn't listen. He thought you were a saint. Everything about you is evil!" he spat, "Pure evil!"

"I'm afraid your mind may be too small to comprehend what is really going on here."

Their voices bounced back and forth in a bitter feud. Massimo's cheeks gained colour, mouth salivating from the anger welling up within him.

The storm in Leo's mind seemed to pass as he slowly pulled himself upright, making sure not to alert Massimo as he reached for a cast bronze statue of Venus. He brought it up behind Massimo and swung it down on the back of the man's head with a resounding crack.

Piero made light work of grabbing the gun from Massimo's hands, aiming the barrel squarely at his falling face.

"Leonardo." Piero said monotonously as the man collapsed to the ground, "I must congratulate you on your ability to almost get yourself killed." he smirked as he pulled the triggor. Blood covered the wall in spatters like fireworks of blood on a turquoise sky.

Lisa froze upon hearing the gunshot. "Leo." she said, her heart racing she sped down the hall and into the room, "Leo?"

"Tom?"

"Leo!"

"Mac!"

Piero cleared his throat as Leonardo backed away and into the agitated arms of Lisa Geradini. She searched frantically for wounds, gaping mutely at the blood spatter that covered his left side, "I'm fine Tom." he said gently, "Just a knock to the head, the blood's not all mine."

"What were you going to do with him?" Mac said defensively, taking a step forwards so that he was standing in between the two and the Medici.

"Father!" Lorenzo's voice rang out through the corridors, "Father, are you okay? Where are you father?"

"All of you. Out. Now. We'll talk later." Piero hissed as Lorenzo's footsteps approached, "Into my study, I'll be wanting to talk to all of you."

"Come on guys." Leo said pulling Mac back by the collar, ignoring his protests, "I'll explain."

The second they'd exited the room, Lorenzo cam charging in, a parade of armed guards in tow.

"I'm quite alright Lorenzo! You should be with your mother."

"She's with the guards." Lorenzo said quickly, "I heard a gunshot." he said rushing forwards and soon the body came into view. He clapped his hand over his mouth, "Oh my god, father!"

"Shot himself in the head." Piero said dryly, leaning over the bloodied body with a slight frown upon his face, "Nothing to worry about. He just wanted to die putting on a show." he held up the pistol and handed it to a guard, "Put this in the armoury, could come in handy sometime. And get rid of that mess."

"Father. What happened?" Lorenzo asked for what felt like the thousandth time.

"I've told you Lorenzo, he couldn't kill me. So he killed himself. Problem solved. Go back to your mother, I'm sure she need comforting whilst I sort out this mess."

"Okay father." Lorenzo said, scurrying off in the direction he'd come from, not wanting to watch the guards lift the body.

"Fetch some maids, this place needs cleaning up." Piero said as he exited the room and moved silently toward his study.


End file.
